In recent years, a multi-function apparatus obtained by adding a number of functions to a digital copying apparatus as a base has been put into practical use. Such a kind of multi-function apparatus has: a facsimile communicating function using a scanner and a printer which have inherently been equipped; a function for developing code data sent from a computer into bit map data and printing; a function for network-distributing an image read out by the scanner; and the like. The multi-function apparatus also has: a function for printing an image distributed from a network; what is called a personal box function; and the like. The personal box function is a function in which a storage area for an individual user or each division is assured and the printer images and scanner images are stored into the storage areas, so that those images can be output or the like at desired time.
In such a multi-function apparatus, since it is necessary to immediately process the image which has been read at high resolution, a unique file system peculiar to a device (in the description, such a system is referred to as a unique high speed file system) is used in order to process the image at a high speed. In such a unique high speed file system, in order to execute the high speed process of a file at the highest priority, for example, a size of one cluster is so large to be equal to 1 megabytes and control is made so as to store image data into a continuous area.
Functions which are provided in the case where the multi-function apparatus has been connected to the network are also being advanced. The image data can be used or shared between the different kinds of multi-function apparatuses or between a personal computer (PC) or a file server and the multi-function apparatus.
In recent years, a file system having advanced functions for efficiently making file management such as journaling or the like has becoming a general system. However, in the multi-function apparatus in the related art, as mentioned above, since file transfer performance is required, the unique high speed file system is used. There is such a problem that it is difficult to use the general file system having the advanced functions as it is.
In order to use or share the image data between the different kinds of multi-function apparatuses or between the PC or file server and the multi-function apparatus, since handling of a general-purpose file such as a PDF is necessary, it is indispensable to use a general-purpose file system of a new generation such as ext3.
In the multi-function apparatus in the related art, therefore, in the case of using or sharing the image data between the different kinds of multi-function apparatuses or the like, it is necessary to prepare two kinds of partitions of the unique high speed file system and the general-purpose file system.
FIG. 11 illustrates a construction of a hard disk in a multi-function apparatus in which the two kinds of partitions of the unique high speed file system and the general-purpose file system are prepared. In FIG. 11, a hard disk 1100 of 80 gigabytes, a partition 1101 having a size of 60 gigabytes of the general-purpose file system, and a partition 1102 having a size of 20 gigabytes of the unique high speed file system are illustrated.
However, in the case of using the construction in which the two kinds of partitions are previously prepared, it is difficult to change a partition size from viewpoints of a protection of user data and a maintenance in the market of the multi-function apparatus. There is, consequently, such a problem that the size which can be used cannot be changed every function according to a use object of the user.